Rosen Publishing has a series of Sports World titles that appeal to my students and me. 
We particularly like The Inside Story of Track and Field by Clive Gifford. One of my fourth grade girls reminded me that we will use this title when we study the Olympics. The beauty of this title is the diversity and depth of coverage of all track and field events. Many competitions around the world are explored including Grand Prix & Golden League events, World Tours, National Championships, The European Championships, Pan-American Games, The Commonwealth Games, The Asian Games, etc. Rather than focus on the problems of the sport (like performance-enhancing drugs), the tone is positive, informational and motivational.
There is a tremendous amount of content and data within these covers making it a prime choice for middle schoolers. I learned about events like the steeplechase and recalled why my coach in eighth grade had me throw the discus. Since I read it takes balance and rhythm, no wonder I could never manage to throw it in the correct direction more than once a day.
The larger typeface and effective design of the text layout makes this accessible for my elementary students. Its a good choice with colorful action shots and I am happy to add this to my collection. Other titles in the series include:
- The Inside Story of Motorsports
- The Inside Story of Soccer
- The Inside Story Of World Cup Soccer
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